Improvement in refrigerators



N. WAGNER & J. SCHUIDT.

REFRIGERATOR.

No .173,83Z.

Patented Feb 22,1876.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT QFFICE.

NIGOLAUS WAGNER AND JOHN SGHUDT OF WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRlGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,832, dated February 22, 1876; applicationfiled January 28, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NICOLAUS WAGNER and JOHN SoHUD'r, both of Williamsburg, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Refrigerator, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of our improved refrigerator. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, taken on the plane of the line 0 c, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 4, a detail horizontal section on 'the line 70 70, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to improvements in ice-boxes or refrigerators; and consists, first,

in making the ice-rack vertically movable, and in combining it with a weighing-scale, so that the amount of ice placed upon or at any time contained on said rack can at all times be readily ascertained. Finally, our invention consists in the application to an ice-box of a folding barrel-support, which can be entirely contracted if not used, all as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A represents the case or inclosing-box of the refrigerator. B is the ice-rack or floor, upon which the ice is to be placed. This rack is supported by or suspended from springs U C, so that it is capable of moving vertically thereon. The more ice is placed on the rack the farther will it descend. An arm, a, projects from the rack through a slot. 1), of the box A, and carries on the outer side of the box a pointer, d, which travels up and down in conformity with the movements of the rack B. A graduated scale, 6, is secured to the box near the pointer, so as to show by the position of said pointer the weight of ice on the rack.

By thus rendering the ice-rack self-recording, consumers will be enabled to ascertain the quantity of ice delivered them by ice-companies, and can guard themselves against overcharges. They can also, without opening the ice-box, always sec'how much ice is still on the rack.

The arm a or pointer d may carry a plate or plates for keeping the slot 11 properly closed;

or other devices for holding the same closed barrels rest on bucks secured within the iceboxes, and are tapped through openings in the latter. These bucks have heretofore generally been made stationary fixtures within the ice-boxes, and took away much valuable room, which could not be otherwise employed in case the barrels were not used. We have devised a folding and adjustable buck, E, made of metal tubing or other light material. The body of the buck E is concave transversely, and 0f the proper length for supporting a barrel, and is, where it comes in contact with the wall of the box A, hinged to the same, as shown at j jin the drawing. At the innermost end the buck is supported by a notched rod, 1, which enters a socket, m, and is there locked at suitable height by a pawl or lever, a.

When the buck is not to be used, it can be folded close against the wall of the ice-box, as

shown by the buck E" in Fig. 1, thus leaving the space in the ice-box unoccupied and free to receive other articles.

When the buck is letdown to receive a barrel, it can be inclined more and more, as the barrel becomes emptier, by raising the rod l in the socket, and relocking it by the lever 11..

One ice-box may contain one, two, or more.

such pivoted and adjustablebucks, according to the capacity of the box.

We. claim as our invention- 1. In a refrigerator, the vertically-movable ice-rack B, combined with the spring or springs U and pointer 61, to constitute an automatic scale for weighing the ice on the rack, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with a refrigerator, the

pivoted feeding-buck E, substantially as speci- 

